Electrical connection.



G. H. PRIDE.

ELECTRICAL CONNECTION:

APPLIOATION FILED APR.17, 1907.

Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

V to alam the operation of wirin ,citizen of the United fiuurrnn STATES PATENT or'rIoE.

7 GEORGE E. PRIDE, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRICAL CONNECTION.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I GEORGE H. PRIDE, a

tates, residing in the city of New York, borough of Bronx, State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Electrical Connection, of which the following is a specification.

i This invention is anelectrical connection adapted for a variety'of purposes, such as for uniting the wires leading from a socket or other translating device.

The ob ect of the invention is to facilitate the connection, to secure an extended an firm electrical contact between the inserted wires and the current conductin 'members of the connection, toobviate the liability of a short circuit, to simplify the construction, and to produce a device which can be manufactured economicall The electrical connection of my invention embodies two members of insulating material, metallic -contact strips in electrical connection with opposite terminals, said strips occupying a substantially fixed or permanent relation to one member, and means whereby the members may be wed ed together in a" manner to clamp inserte wires upon said contact strips, the relation of said strips to one of said members remaining undisturbed. during the operations of'inserting' the wires, adjusting and clamping the members together, and brin ing the wires into electrical contact with the aforesaid strips.

By reason of the substantially fixed or immovable relation of the contact strips to one member, the wires to be inserted in the connection can be, readily placed in position, the other member adjusted, and the clamping means tightened so as to bind all the parts firmly together without either of the parts working out of position accidentally,

whereb the possibility of a short circuit isavoide and. the connection is adapted to be quickly wired. 1 a

A particularly implortant feature of the invention resides in t e employment of two complementary insulating sections, prefer ably in the formof .male and female members, so constructed that a wedging or clamping action may be secured between said members and yet provide a barrier Specification ot Letters Patent.

; Application mada -u 17, 1907. mm No. 868,796.

Patented Feb. as, 1909.

which effectively precludes any short circuiting in the connection. With this object a in view, the said members are so shaped that when the are separated to the maximum ex-' tent, in t e normal operation of the device, there still remains a thickness of insulating material between the passage ways for the wires, so that the wire intended for one of the passage-ways cannot possibly extend over into the other passage-way. In this manner, all possibility of short clrcuiting is practically precluded.

In the accompanyin drawings, I have illustrated one practica embodiment of the invention, but the construction shown therein is to be understood as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the in vention.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through an electrical connection, embodyin my invention in the form of an electrica socket. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section throu h another form of electrical connection em odtying the invention. Fig. 3 is an end view 0 one of the members.

The essential features of an electrical connection embodying my invention, two forms of which are illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.,

respectively, are the members,'a, g, contact strips, p, p, .fixed inthe member, a, and a bolt adapted to .draw the member, 9, into wedging engagement with the member, a, whereby the member, 9, operates to clamp the wires of a circuit in electrical contact with the strips, p, p.

The member, a, is composed of insulating material, the same comprlsin preferably, a single piece of porcelain m0 (led to the re quired shape. Said member, a, is provided with a recess, (1, entering from one face recess, e, of the member, a, when the parts are assembled. With this construction, the

:vide furthermore, with a passage or longitudinal openmg,'m, 1n which oplenmg is fitted one of the' contact strips, 12.

f er, produces a snug' tting ins '&oint between the passages 'for the wires.

recess in the member, a serves to center the memberyg, when assem lin the parts and, ulating he wedgesha ed mem er, g, is provided with an axial t eaded opening, it, ada ted to' serve as a nut for the reception 9 the clam ing screw, 2'. :The' member, a, is prohis strip extends 'throughthe o emng of the member and the recess 0 said member a. The strip 1s carried through the "closed end of the said recess, and is bent so as to form a contact, f, or, ifdesired said strip ma "be attached-to a contact at the closed end 0 the member, a. I The other contact strip, p, is positloned in the o posing side of the recess n member, a, an the end portion of said contact strip is bent within a. chamber, r, provided in one side of member, a.

ent end of said contact stri p, is exposed within the chamber, 9*, so t at it may' be engaged by a key, K. Said key cooperates.

with an mternal threaded sleeve, m, the

latter constituting the other terminal of the larger end of the recess as shown in the drawings. The strips are opposite to the res ectlve sides of t an are thus disposed within the recess 0 the member, a, so as to coiiperate with said tapering member, 9, for the purpose of clampin the wires within the connection and m e ectrical contact with the aforesaid strips.

The member, a, and the internal sleeve are inclosed within a metallic casing, j, sald casing having a contracted mouth portion, 0,

into which 1s fitted the wires, g, to be clamped in the connection. Sai casing, j, incloses the several parts, except the thumb piece of the switch or key, and .it affords an ornamental finish to the entire connection.

The construction embodied in Fig. 1 com prises. an internally threaded sleeve, m,

adapted to be used in conjunction with a:

lamp socket or similar means.

The construction shown in Fig. 2 provides a plug which is adapted tobe screwed into amp socket. The said device, illustrated in Fi 2, is substantially the same in constructlon as that shown in Fig. 1, except a that thekey or switch is omitted. The member a is made of insulatin 'material such as porcelain, and is provide with the taper- The e tapering member, .9;

contact with said strips.

ing recess, d", and with passages, b, b. The member, a, is smaller at one end than at the other so as to provide an external shoulder, a, and, the inner ortion of the tapering recess, is substantial y square in cross section, as shown. Said member, a, is'provided, also, with a longitudinal opening, 23, for the reception of the clamping screw or bolt, 2'', and the member is equipped with an external metallic threaded sleeve, 0, forming)one of the contacts of the connection.

no contact strip, p, asses throngh one opening, 6', of the mem er, a, one end of said strip extending into the recess in said strip is f, of the connection. .The other contactstrip, p, occupies the other passage, 1), of the member, a, one end portion of said strip, p, engaging electrically with the external metallic sleeve a, forming one terminal. The strips, p, are inclined atthe respective inclined sides of the tapering recess in said member, a, and said-strips have the diverging relation toward the open side of therecess, as shown in Fig. 2. i

The member, 9', is of tapering shape, and is provided with a threaded axial openin memberi) a, while the opposing end of the h, and with an inner portion substantial y square or rectangular adapted to fit in the. recess, e, wherebysaid recess serves to center the member, g, and to guide it within the socketzof the member, a, as well as to form an insulating joint or barrier interiucdinle the wirepassages.

- The larger portion of-the member, a, in Fig. 2 is inclosed by a metallic shell or casing, j, one end of which is bent around the external shoulder, s, of said member. The

other end of the casing or shell, j, is contracted to produce a mouth portion, 0 in which isarran'ged the wires, 9, g, which are to be con led by the clamping operation of the members to the aforesaid contact strips.

From the fore oin'g description taken in connection with the drawings it will be seen that the screw or bolt, z, or 2', may be turned backwardly for the purpose of releasing the tapering member, g, or g, the latter being moved outwardly for a sufficient distance to permit the insertion of the wires, 9, q, or g, g. The two wires are placed on opposite Sides of the member, 9, or g, and inserted into res ective sides of the lapering recess within t e" member, a, or a, said wires being between the inclined faces of the member, '9, or g, and the contact strips, 1), g), or p.

The screw or bolt may now be turned so as to draw the members 9, or g, into the recess, and this operation clamps the end portions of the wires between the contact strips and the member, 9, or 9, whereby said wires are securely clamped into good electrical There is a con;

ent so as to form the othercontact,

1o with the contact strips, thus facilitating the siderablei 6fai eats sas for a.

gagementwith' thewires, and as said wires are 'wed'gedjfirmlyfii into engagement with said strips, the required electrical contact issecured between the several parts. {The wires are effectively separated from each other by the interposed tapering members, thus entirely obviating any possibility of a short circuit. The wires can be easily placed in position and clamped firmly in. enga ement operation of wiring the connection.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an electrical connection, coo erating insulating members, means for c amping said members, and contact strips fitted to one member in a substantially fixedv relation thereto, said strip'sjremaining in fixed positions during the application of wires to the connection and the operation of clamping the members for the purpose of binding the inserted-wires in electrical contact with said strips. g

2. In an electrical connection, a member provided with a socket, a movable member adapted to enter said socket, a plurality of contact strips both fixed to one of said members and exposed in the aforesaid socket for engagement with wires adapted to be inserted therein, said movable member occupying a position intermediate said contact strips and substantially filling the socket, wherebyv said movable member acts as a barrier in precluding bot-h insertible Wires from engagement with the plurality of contact strips, and adjusting means for operating the movable member: 1 v

3. In an electrical connection, a member provided with a tapering recess, a plurality of permanent contact strips each fixed to said member and disposed 1n said recess for engagement with wires adapted to be inserte therein, a tapering member, and means for tightening'said tapering member in said recess, whereby said tapering member is adapted to clamp the insertible wires into engagement withsaid fixed contact strips.

4. In an electrical connection, a recessed member, a plurality of contacts fixed in said member, a clamping member in cooperative relation to the contacts, and means normally connected to one of said members for. bringing the clamping member into cooperative relation to the aforesaid contacts while retaining the relation of said contacts to the socket member.

5. In an electrical connection, a member provided with circuit terminals, said member having, also, a recess, a plurality of contacts positioned in said member for engagement with wires adapted to be inserted therein, said contacts being electrically conheated with said circuit terminals, a clamp ing' member in coiiperative relation tosald contacts, and means for'movin said clamp ing member'into clamping re ation ito "said contacts while retainin the relation of said contacts to the inserte wires and-,to the re-' .ces'sed' member.

6. In an electrical connection, a member provided with a tapering recess, a plurality of contacts positioned in said recess for engagement. with wires ada ted to be inserted therein, a tapering mem lier operating between the contacts and the insertible wires, whereby each inserted wire is adapted to be clamped by the tapering member into firm en agement with one of said contacts and sai lnsertible wires are separated by said interposed tapering member, and adjusting ,means connected to the taperingmember for moving it within the first named member.

7. In an electrical connection, a member having a flaring recess, contacts fixed to said member. and exposed inthe recess thereof for enga ement with insertible wires, a taperin mem erentering the recess and interpose between the aforesaid contacts, and a bolt cooperating with the tapering member, whereby insertible wires may be clamped in electrical engagement with the" aforesaid contacts.

8. In an electrical connection, a member having a tapering recess, contacts fixed to said member and exposed within the recess thereof, a tapering member 'uided in the aforesaid recess and inter osed between the contacts, and means for a justing the tapering member, whereby. said member is adapted to clamp insertible wires into engagement with the contacts.

9. In an, electrical connection, a recessed member provided with a plurality of openings -in communication with the recess thereof, contacts extending through said openings and disposed normally in said re- 11o cess adjacent, to the opposite walls thereof, said contacts being fixed to said member, a clamping member separating said contacts, vfind means for adj usting the clamping mem- 10. In an electrical connection, a member provided with a chamber and with a recess, contacts in saidrecess, one of said contacts extending into the chamber of said member, a key or switch in said chamber for coiiperation with the aforesaid contact, a clamping member incooperative relation to the contacts, and means for adjusting said clamping member.

11. In an electrical connection, a member provided with a recess and with terminals, contact strips each fixed in said recess of the member and having electrical connec-. tion with one of said terminals, a clamping member normally between the contact strips,

: a male iiisulating mem and means for adjusting the clamping memof the device and contacts fix ed'in the teper berin the recess of the fir t named member. in recess of the female member and non 12. In an electrical conn ectioma female inpm ly separated by said male member. I sulating member havin a. tapering recess, GEO. H. PRIDE. EG! having ate r- Witnesses: mg portion adapted to beseatedm sei 're-' 5 CHAS. .MAOOARTHY, 1 cess at all times during the normal operation WILLIAM H. BM-mm; 

